DAVAO ORIENTAL— Infrastructure and livelihood projects in sixteen conflict-affected areas in Cateel town get funding as the check amounting P4.8 million has been turned over on June 27 at the Provincial Tourism Annex Building here.

Governor Nelson L. Dayanghirang and Cateel town Mayor Erlinda Nuñez received the check turned over by Oliver Binancilan of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPPAP), Department of Agriculture’s (DA) Regional Technical Director for Operations Marila Corpuz, Payapa at Masaganang Pamayanan for Agrarian Reform Areas (PAMANA-ARA) Focal Person Jennifee Tangonan and Atty. Joebar Pondoc of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR).

To be implemented under PAMANA-ARA of OPPAP in partnership with DA and DAR, the projects are designed to complement other programs of the provincial government to end insurgency in the province.

Infrastructure projects include rehabilitation of potable water system in Barangay Alegria, construction of potable water system in Barangays Aragon and Aliwagwag, rehabilitation of Day Care Center in Barangay Mainit, and construction of Day Care Center in Barangays San Antonio and Taytayan.

Meanwhile, livelihood projects include acquisition of corn mill for Barangays Abejod and Malibago, provision of non-motorized boats and crab pots for Barangay Baybay, acquisition of multi-crop thresher for Barangay Maglahus, cattle production and dispersal project for Barangay Poblacion, acquisition of corn sheller with trailer for barangay San Alfonso, range chicken production and dispersal project for Sta. Felomina, carabao production and dispersal project for Barangays San Miguel and San Vicente, and cattle production and dispersal project for Barangay San Vicente.

Tackling Insurgency in the Grassroots Level

Targeting zero insurgency by the end of this year, Governor Nelson L. Dayanghirang has tapped all local chief executives of this province to support the Philippine Army’s Massive Information Campaign (MIC), as well as in multiplying its force in the communities through the Civilian Armed Forces Geographical Units (CAFGUs).

The MIC, which was an innovation of Lt. Col. Jacob Thaddeus Obligado, commander of the 67th Infantry Battalion, is designed to complement the Philippine Army’s strategy to get rid of communist insurgents in the province.

Although the program has already started, the Provincial Government plans the full blast implementation of the MIC on July of this year.

The project MIC, which taps government agencies in conducting lectures and information drive of their respective programs, will be conducted during cash payouts of 4Ps beneficiaries while they queue for their monthly allowance.

All mayors of this province, who have committed full support to the implementation of project MIC, said they will provide support through gimmick and giveaways to keep the target audience entertained.

Aside from information dissemination, Governor Dayanghirang has requested the mayors to provide assistance for the newly-hired CAFGUs during the latter’s first three months in service whose subsistence allowance are still on process

To make the CAFGU detachments self-sufficient, Governor Dayanghirang has directed the mayors to include them as one of the beneficiaries of the LGUs cash-for-work and livelihood programs such as livestock-raising and farming. Further, he requested that daily consumption of CAFGUs within their camp should not be deducted from their monthly subsistence allowance which is at P4,500.

“CAFGUs are a big help in countering insurgency because they are natives. It means that they are familiar with the people and the terrain. So it is really an advantage on our part,” the governor said.

“We have to combine efforts to attain our target this year because the AFP and the PNP cannot do this alone,” he adds, reiterating that the Liga ng mga Barangay President should also remind barangay functionaries for their close coordination with the communities.

Brigadier General Reuben S. Basiao, 701st Brigade Commander, said that it is important to work in the communities to finally put an end to the long-running insurgency in the province. Basiao has also called on the Local Chief Executives to converge efforts with all agencies in providing services to the communities, saying that “we need more than information dissemination. We need more action in our target areas and we need more programs from the government”. By Riza M. Golez